Rural mail delivery and collection device



Jan. 14, 1958 J. J. NOHR RURAL MAIL DELIVERY AND COLLECTION DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1954 Eva. L.

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ATTORNEYS United States Patent RURAL MAIL DELIVERY AND COLLECTION DEVICE Julius J. Nohr, Grand Island, Nebr.

Application February 23, 1954, Serial No. 411,642

1 Claim. (Cl. 104-149) This invention relates to a mail collection and delivery device designed primarily for handling rural mail, the primary object of the invention being to provide a suspension track on which a wheeled carrier operates, for delivery and collection of mail between two remote points.

An important object of the invention is to provide an elevated or suspended track which is yieldably supported to eliminate noise caused by vibrations, as the carrier is moving over the track.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier which is self propelled by an electric reversible motor mounted on the carrier the carrier being provided with gearing operated by said motor for transmitting power from the motor to the power wheels of the carrier in the selected direction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmental elevational view illustrating a section of the suspended or elevated track with a carrier constructed in accordance with the invention, as mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view illustrating a portion of the track and the upper section of the carrier, operating over the track.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the motor and track section.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional view illustrating the means for transmitting power from the motor to the power gear of the propelling means.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference character 5 indicates one of the supporting posts of the elevated or suspended track. It will of course be understood that these supporting posts are arranged along the track in predetermined spaced relation with respect to each other. Secured to each post are upper and lower brackets 6 and 7 respectively, to which the coiled springs 8 and 9 respectively have one of their respective ends connected.

As clearly shown by Fig. 3 of the drawing, the coiled spring 9 is formed with a loop 10 through which the hook 11 at the lower end of the spring 8 extends, connecting the springs 8 and 9. The loop 10 has its end connected with the upper track 12 yieldably supporting the upper track.

Directly below the brackets 6 and 7 are brackets 13 and 14. One end of the coiled spring 15 is connected to the bracket 13, while the opposite end thereof which is formed into the book 16, extends through the loop 17 of the coiled spring 18 which is horizontally disposed and connected with the bracket 14. One end of the spring 18 beyond the loop 17 extends laterallyand conmeets with the track or cable 19 disposed under the track or cable 12. Thus it will be seen that due to this construction, the tracks 12 and 19 are yielda'bly supported to not only provide a silent operating carrier, but at the same time will compensate for slight movements of the suspended cables or tracks due to wind pressure and prevent the wheels of the carrier, to be hereinafter more fully described, from running over the track to become displaced.

The carrier is indicated by the reference character 20 and to the top of said carrier is secured the upstanding bracket 21 which is bolted to the top of the carrier by means of the bolts 22.

The right angled lower end of the bracket provides a support for the electric motor 23 to the shaft of which is secured pinion 24. The pinion 24 meshes with the pinion 25 secured to roller 26 pivotally mounted on the shaft 27 that is secured to the bracket 21. The pinion 2S meshes with the pinion 28 on which the grooved wheel 29 is secured the insulation being similar to that described in connection with gear 25, the grooved wheel operating over the suspended track or cable 19. The grooved wheel 29 constitutes the power wheel of the carrier, and is rotated by the movement of the pinion 28, as better shown by Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Directly above the grooved wheel 29 is the idle wheel, which moves over the suspended track or cable 12. This grooved wheel 29 is supported on the bracket 21 by means of the shaft 30 which is held in place by means of the nut 31.

Electric energy is supplied to the motor 23, through the wire 32 that has connection with a suitable source of electricity supply, the electric current passing through the grooved wheel 29 which is in direct contact with the wire 24 which passes through motor 23 to ground of the system through wire 32'. A suitable two-way switch 33 is in the circuit and provides the means for controlling the electric energy to the motor for moving the motor in either its reverse or normal drive position to move the conveyor longitudinally of the track for collecting or delivering mail between two remote points.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, I have provided a carrier designed for collecting and delivering mail between two remote points, the operation of the carrier being controlled by a switch which in turn controls the electric circuit to the motor.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

In a mail collection and delivering apparatus, a plurality of supporting posts, a pair of horizontal vertically spaced track members, pairs of coiled spring connected between each of said posts and track sections, each pair of springs embodying a substantially heavy inclined spring and a weaker horizontal spring, yieldably supporting said track members spaced from said post, a carrier, an upstanding bracket secured to said carrier, in the form of a vertical bar, a pair of superposed grooved Wheels mounted on one surface of said bar, operating over said track members, the uppermost grooved wheel embodying an idle wheel, the lowermost grooved wheel constituting the power wheel of the carrier, a pinion secured to said power wheel between the power wheel and bracket, a third grooved wheel mounted on said bracket below said power wheel, a pinion secured to said third grooved wheel between said third grooved wheel and bracket and meshing with the pinion of said power wheel, an electric References Cited in the file of this patent motor, a power line for said motor, an operative circuit between said motor and a source of electricity supply, UNITED STATES PATENTS said motor having a shaft and pinion, mounted on said 850,173 McMurray Apr. 16, 1907 carrier, the pinion of said motor meshing with the pinion 5 871,431 Mozingo -t Nov. 19, 1907 of said third grooved wheel for transmitting motion to 1,597,813 Matthes Aug. 31, 1926 said pin-ions and moving said carrier along said traek 2,125,551 Davis Aug. 2, 1938 members. 2,335,833 Wood Nov. 30, 1943 

